THE BRITISH ARMY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5255, 26 January 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE BRITISH ARMY.

; Referring ,to the -recent 1 military: evolutions' Jnißritafu,! a . London contemporary says [ be Said; against the physique of . ouqregular regiments.at this moment, there can be no-.do.uht: but -that.we.have made much progress in fhe: art- of war in the, last. quarter of a century. ;. Those who' can remember the old camp at Chobham. in ; 1553, and.the fuss that .was made.;about : it at: thei time, wpuld haye been' Struck at the improvements,introdneeddf; they 'had visited the Common.,. < I see by’an old file of newspapers: that in ]853 the -troops,cp.uld;,not,pitch their, own .-.tents, I and’ that the fi’appers were'hard at work preparing the camp thetrpops.arriyed., It is. mentioned;too, that, seven,whole regiments-— : foot, horse, and artillery—marched into! the pqsitioji, vyithout; the; least confusion;; there were, actually three, every, week, and a jCorporal of .Engineers-was in charge pf the mails. • The operations were' of the stereotyped prdeyTymeaningiess,advances and retreats, ,’dignifiefi ; by the. name , of., sham battles,. inwhich there' was no enemy and no attacking force. ‘ As much: was written about the pontoon train as if. it had been the neatestinvention- of ’.modern times.- . Th,e jmen;.,were .no doubt, magnificent, but they carried the old Brown Bess, and the artillery was with smg.ptHbores. E, >yas.a (Efferent affair on Monday. The force was in thorough workmanlike order, brigade . after-, brigade reached its ;own yoadi’previously’arranged .by,the general staff; Arms- were piled, tents, .pitolied, readily' but auietly,.and. without.! show, ,'' Loug before 1 sundown" every divisional headquarters was connected by wire with the nearest postal!telegraph office. . The, Martmi-Henri and guus of long range and heavy calibre had replaced the olfl-fashioned weapons.!, .Above! all there was ah evident system of intention ; in everything, S^taff! officers , knew,’ what. they , were about, .regimental officers’ were thoroughly up to their wprk.! !, .The!, generals , were , iar.! more,. ;ent ‘lightened - and .actjve’tban .any ~of. .the! old school, -. Our army . would ■ progress- rapidly enough towards . perfection ,if . theorists : and politicians would leave them alone.”; . ;r